The wheel turned. With a deafening screech of metal on metal, the secondary spillway gates began to slide open. A torrent of trapped water roared through the channel, successfully diverting the flood away from the village and safely into the marshlands.
Min knew she had to release the pressure by opening the secondary spillways, but the mechanism was manual and located on the lower, exposed deck of the lock system. She took a deep breath, secured her safety harness, and stepped down the iron ladder. Immediately, she was drenched. Cold, salty water washed over her, making the iron rungs slick and dangerous. TODAY.S.RELEASE.Min.Galilea.Wet.Min.Galilea.15....
Exhausted, soaked to the bone, and shivering, Min climbed back up to the safety of the main control room. She looked out at the raging sea, then down at the peaceful village below, untouched by the flood. She had done it. The wheel turned
Today was the day of her first solo watch, a rite of passage known to the locals as her release into duty. The morning had started with a deceptive, glass-like calm. Min stood on the massive granite wall, her boots clicking against the wet stone. She held a heavy brass pocket watch, a family heirloom, timing the intervals of the swells. Her father had always told her that the sea spoke in rhythms, and a good keeper had to learn to listen. Min knew she had to release the pressure
Min closed her eyes for a split second, feeling the vibration of the waves against the metal structure. She waited. A massive wave struck the outer wall, creating a momentary counter-pressure as the water receded. In that exact fraction of a second, Min surged forward with all her might.
The storm hit with a sudden, violent fury. Massive waves began to batter the outer sea wall, sending plumes of white foam high into the air. Min watched as the water level in the outer basin rose at an alarming rate. It was a king tide, amplified by the storm surge. If the water breached the locks, the lower farmlands and the village itself would be devastated.